2:00 PM: We're underway. Crowd of 50-60 present. Cathy announces that four year medical school in Spokane is under consideration, under auspices of UW.

2:05 PM: Momentary pause to seat overflow crowd, closer to 75 now.

2:11 PM: Cathy states that health care issue always comes up when she talks to constituents, especially access to care in rural areas.

2:16 PM: Cathy says she has three considerations on any proposed health care reform legislation:

1. Preserve the doctor-patient relationship.
2. Protect the quality of care. For example, the U.S. has the best breast cancer and prostate cancer survival rates in the world.
3. Address cost drivers, which have led to a growing number of uninsured.

She feels these issues can be addressed without turning them over to the federal government. Half of all uninsured are between ages 18-35. Need portable insurance for them. Small business owners and employees also lack coverage. Cathy supports association health plans to offer them more affordable options.

She also called for medical liability reform and investment in health IT. Wellness also needs to be encouraged, as 75% of health care costs come from five preventable diseases.

The controversial aspect of the bill before Congress is the public option that would reimburse at Medicare plus 5%. She feels this will make it very difficult to get a doctor and result in waiting lists. That's why she doesn't support the bill.

There would be a 8% tax on employers who don't offer insurance and 2% om individuals who don't have insuraance. Cathy asked if that is the right way to fund health care if people can't afford insurance now.

Bill would spend a trillion to a trillion and a half more in health care. She asked how do we address cost drivers and how do we pay for this.

2:37 PM: Some excellent discussion after Cathy's address. Some great points made about medical savings accounts and how that would make the patient into a consumer again and incentivize healhier living and smarter choices.

Tom Handy, a Pullman small business owner, brought up how this bill would cause him to reduce employment. Cathy said this issue needs to be addressed.

2:42 PM: Someone joked that this new health care plan needs to be tested in the federal government first.

Cathy concluded her remarks by saying that it seems that a cap has been put on the American Dream; that bureaucratic regulations and taxes have made it impossible for the American tradition of innovation and inguenity to continue.